Muse Upon This:
“What if you had no obligations?
Stick with me if your initial reaction was “but that is so irresponsible!” I am not saying get rid of your obligations, I am encouraging you to shift your paradigm around things you see as obligations. Do you know what some synonyms of “obligation” are? Duty, Task, Job, Onus, Liability, Requirement, and then this beauty, Burden. Can I just say, “yuck”? I had a yoga student (who is also a yoga teacher) recently say: "I want teaching to be a natural part of my grace." When she said that, it got me thinking. What if everything I did was a natural part of my grace? The root of the word grace is from Latin and means “pleasing and thankful.” So, what if we did everything from a place of gratitude and love rather than seeing them as a “burden”?
Okay, so what are some burdens you have? How can you reframe them? Here are some thoughts I wrote about taxes awhile back. I reposted the more important points in light of this musing. You can also read my comments to learn about a life-changing shift I made. What else are you ready to shift? Let us know...also let us know if you can’t see how to shift it. We’d love to brainstorm ideas!
Okay, so what are some burdens you have? How can you reframe them? Here are some thoughts I wrote about taxes awhile back. I reposted the more important points in light of this musing. You can also read my comments to learn about a life-changing shift I made. What else are you ready to shift? Let us know...also let us know if you can’t see how to shift it. We’d love to brainstorm ideas!
10 comments:
My spiritual practice (primarily yoga and meditation) for a long time has felt like a burden. While I had released the deeper fears around not doing it, I still felt like I "should" be doing more. Recently I had a beautiful lesson, I discovered that my not doing my practice was a reflection of not loving myself enough. Wow! That was such an awakening for me. Now, not only do I do my practice, I do it as a natural part of my grace...it is filled with gratitude and love for my body, for what my practice does to my heart, and for what it does to how I show up in the world.
What if everything I did was a natural part of my grace?
Great reminder for me.
Laura- your reply resonnated within me. I have to agree!
for a long time has felt like a burden. While I had released the deeper fears around not doing it, I still felt like I "should" be doing more. Recently I had a beautiful lesson, I discovered that my not doing my practice was a reflection of not loving myself enough
EXACTLY!
I have a half an hour drive to the work that I love. That commute has always felt like a burden to me. A few years ago I had a job that did not feed me, stressed me out and made me ask the question...is this all there is? This job was only 10 minutes from my house.
Would I rather drive 10 minutes to a job that stresses me out or a half an hour to a job that fills me up completely and allows me to fulfill my purpose in life? Hmmm - easy answer right? I just decided that I LOVE MY COMMUTE!
Okay, Flo, take it one step further. What are you going to do with your new insight? What will be different? What is your action?
and Karen, right on!!
So many things can feel like both burden and blessings, depending on - mood, time of day, state of mind. I am now thinking of my kids. I love them dearly, they are truly a blessing, and I am grateful for them every minute of the day. Yet, sometimes, after the 50th "Mommy!" I do feel obligated and burdened. It takes awareness and consciousness to remember all the things I've learned:
Someday I'll miss them, even their tantrums.
Everything I do is a choice. I choose to do it because I love them.
Anything not done willingly on my part only creates resentment. I don't want that.
Grace it is.
Are obligations the same as responsibilities? I feel like I am responsible for lots of things and sometimes I think I am too "attached" to those responsibilities. However, I am grateful for most of them and do not consider them to be burdens. What do others think??
I have been working to reframe anything that I have previously viewed as negative. Looking for the positive in everything. It has been a while since I thought of something as a burden. I love the thought of it as being my natural grace. A life without burdens/obligations is so sweet.
Great post Laura! I am looking forward to our trip to Costa Rica and meeting you!
~ Dawn
lovely mind-stretcher.
I love the idea of "a natural part of my grace". The "should's" of life seem to get overwhelming sometimes. Letting it come from the "grace within" really resonates with me.
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